janïsa’s musical work is a perfect expression of the sanctities, and sometimes the sorrows, that attach themselves to life and finding herself. She is a beguiling artist with a troubadour’s commitment to lyric and story. She merges the intimacy and introspection of a singer-songwriter with the rich aesthetic of roots, soul and R&B.
Earlier this year, she and her sons lost their home of 13 years to a fire, on the eve of what was supposed to be an unhindered, joyous celebration. This devastating event which displaced janïsa and her family amplified her preexisting feelings of loneliness and isolation. However, she didn’t let this get her down, but rather strengthened her resolve to simply trust more than ever, and to dive in.
Her new song, “Dive In,” was a collaboration between herself and her friends Nick Ferraro and Waqaas, who were all separately dealing with their feelings of isolation and questions about where life was headed. They came together a couple of times in janïsa’s living room over homemade food to talk casually and eventually came to the conclusion that they all had a desire to write about this ongoing theme of diving into their fears in some way. It was written in 2020, but it feels so relevant after the fresh trauma of the fire.
Take a chance – listen to “Dive In” and share it over at OUTLET:
“I feel I have a different perspective on life from when I first wrote this song in 2020 and now releasing it after I have gone through devastation,” says janïsa. “I feel this song means more to me now than it did, because I literally need to dive in the waters after a fire, I’ve lost so much in the fire. I can dive in now.”
